title: Current evidence for aripiprazole as augmentation therapy in major depressive disorder.
abstract: Aripiprazole (Abilify) is the first atypical antipsychotic approved as adjunctive therapy for the treatment of major depressive disorder. The pharmacological basis of the action of aripiprazole in major depressive disorder remains unclear, but it may be related to its potent partial agonism of the dopamine D(2)/D(3) receptors, partial agonism of the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)(1A) receptor and antagonism of the 5-HT(2A) receptor. This article reviews findings on the efficacy and tolerability of aripiprazole from two identical placebo-controlled trials and from smaller open-label and retrospective studies. At doses of 2-15 mg/day aripiprazole was efficacious and well tolerated as adjunctive therapy to antidepressants in patients who had not responded to monotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA. akhan@nwcrc.net
authors.forename: Arif
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khan
mesh_terms: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D000068180:Aripiprazole; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000379:methods; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000639:trends*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D010879:Piperazines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D015363:Quinolones / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D010879:Piperazines; D015363:Quinolones; D000068180:Aripiprazole